No abstract

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are ubiquitous environmental contaminants, found in the many environments. PCBs exerts various toxicological effects, including endocrine-disrupting activity. Most researches with these toxicants performed with soil matrix with mixtures of congeners, namely Aroclor, while the biological activities have been tested with animals. However, studies with pure congeners are limited. In this study, 5 congeners were synthesized and their fates (bioaccumulation, degradation, kinetics) were studied in carrot-soil system. The soil half-lives of biphenyl, PCB-1, PCB-3, 16.0, 11.6, 46.5, 198.0 days, respectively. In general, the longer half-lives were observed with the higher hydrophoicity of PCBs. Times, required for maxium accumulation of PCBs in carrot (Tmax) were 10-20 days for most congeners and the concentrations were 0.4-2.6 mg/kg. The concentrations of PCBs in carrot were kept as constant after Tmax, except PCB-126. The concentration ratio between carrot and soil after 90 days of

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the effective strength levels of abdominal muscle contraction using the bracing contraction method. [Subjects] The experiment was conducted with 31 healthy male (M=15) and female (F=16) adults attending D University in Busan; all participants had less than obesity level BMI (BMI<30). [Methods] Bracing contraction was performed by the subjects in the hook-lying position at maximum and minimum pressure levels, five times each, using a Pressure Biofeedback Unit (PBU), and the mean measurement value was calculated. The maximum pressure level was set at 100% and the half maximum pressure level was set at 50%. Each subject’s left and right abdominal muscle thicknesses were then measured by ultrasound imaging in each state: at rest, 100% contraction, and 50% contraction. [Results] No significant differences were found between the left and right sides of the transversus abdominis (TrA) at rest, 50%, or 100% contraction. The external oblique abdominis (EO) and internal oblique abdominis (IO) showed no significant difference at rest or at the 50% contraction. However, a significant difference was noted at 100% contraction for the EO and IO. [Conclusion] Application of abdominal contraction using bracing can achieve symmetry in the left and right abdominal muscles at less than the maximum contractile strength. The occurrence of asymmetry in the left and right abdominal muscles at the maximum contractile strength suggests that the most suitable contractile strength in this exercise is less than the maximum contractile strength.